The Challenge 2 Change summit brought more than 160 students from four school districts together Wednesday, March 11 to engage in critical dialogue surrounding diversity, social justice and community leadership.
Teens from Cleveland Hill, Williamsville Central, Amherst Central and Sweet Home school districts facilitated conversations in breakout sessions that allowed them to learn the stories of others, while understanding the importance of sharing their own. Daemen University hosted the summit, which was revived for its third year after being on a years-long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizers said it’s an important event to prepare students to navigate a difficult world while creating a kinder, more inclusive society.
“These kinds of conversations are where it starts and allowing students to explore and meet other students outside of their ZIP code, or their walls of their school, even within our own district, is just an amazing opportunity,” said Williamsville East High School teacher Lisa Azzarelli-Brown, who organizes the annual event with student.
Williamsville East student Pratik Sharma said events like the summit are important for students his age because they help enforce vital skills and lessons for the next generation of leaders.
“Students like us in high school right now are the future of the nation," he said. "I think it's honestly a learning experience and an opportunity to make changes.”
Tad Roach, learning engagement specialist for Equal Justice Initiative, served as the keynote speaker.
Organizers for the summit said they hope that by allowing students to reflect on their own identities and learn from others that they will become the next generation of change advocates.
“That's one of the beautiful things about working with teenagers, is that they can tell us everything we really need to know about making the world better, if we're brave enough to listen,” Azzarelli-Brown said.
